Digging Deeper into Discipleship

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How Are We to Understand Hebrews 5:14?

When we experience the new birth, we start our new life as babies, Spiritually speaking. Peter was inspired in I Peter 2:2 to give this charge: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.”However, in II Peter 3:18, he further charged: “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Obedience to these instructions brings us to what we are told in Hebrews 5:14: “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Age here seems to be in terms of how rapidly that we grow. The more time we spend studying, coming to understand, and applying what God has to say, the quicker we reach full age. Full age, at the very least, means we know how to apply the Word and we have become disciplined enough and determined enough to do so! This kind of exposure to and involvement with Scripture sounds an alarm when we are under attack. (See yesterday’s article). We examine what we have been thinking; we discern if it’s good or evil and we are quick to know which it is. Having practiced (by reason of use“) bringing God’s Truth to bear on our thinking and emotions, we choose to obey God and not our invaded thoughts. In other words, we are to: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil (Just as Jesus did by correctly using Scripture) and he will flee from you.” (From James 4:7). A beautiful hymn by C. F. Jones, “Deeper, Deeper,” expresses the full sweep of this growth: “Deeper, deeper! blessed Holy Spirit, take me deeper still, ’till my life is wholly lost in Jesus and His perfect will. Oh, deeper yet, I pray, and higher ev’ry day, and wiser blessed Lord, in Thy precious holy Word.” Selah! When all human wisdom vanishes, God’s Word endures forever! Ron